001[Music] Hey, hey. [Music] Hey [Music] everybody down. [Music] Hey, [Music] Hey, [Music] hey, [Music] hey. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Welcome. >> Call to order. School board meeting is underway. Um, we're going to start with the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> So um for everybody's information, um Dr. Gupta is not available for us tonight. So I'm acting in as chair and vice chair. So um be patient with me if I get something out of order. Appreciate you. Um first thing we have on the agenda is the agenda approval. >> So move >> second. >> Miss day. Can you take >> Mr. Baron. >> Yes. >> Mr.
002Alen, >> yes. >> Mrs. Lori, >> yes. >> Mr. Connor, >> yes. >> Dr. Farmer, >> yes. >> Mr. Poe, >> yes. >> Motion passes. Okay. >> Next thing on the agenda is some chair um comments. Um and then um I think the superintendent would like to make some comments about Are you before me or after me? >> Before you about 911. >> Okay. I'll turn it over to um our superintendent. >> All right. Good evening. Um on Thursday, our schools came together to recognize Patriot Day um in meaningful ways across the division. Our students and staff engage in classroom activities, reflective ceremonies, songs, poems, and other tributes. And these moments gave us the opportunity to pause, remember, and honor. As a community, we paid tribute to the lives lost on September 11th, 2001, and
003reflected on the courage and selflessness shown by so many. We've remembered the first responders, service members, and everyday citizens who risk their own lives to help others. Their example reminds us of the strength found in unity, compassion, and service. I'm grateful for the way that our schools honored this day, ensuring that our students understand both the history and the spirit of resilience that continues to shape our nation. And together, we carry forward the responsibility of remembering and teaching future generations the values of courage, sacrifice, and hope. So, at this time, I'm just going to play a short video just to give you all a snapshot of what occurred that day. or not. Mr. Journey, are we ready? Okay. So, it should come up shortly. Um, if not, if you don't mind, um, Mr. Connor, if
004you could continue and when they have it ready, we'll play that. I apologize for the technical difficulties. >> Um, I just have a few words to say on behalf of Dr. Gupta. Um, as far as chair comments and one thing I want to say is it doesn't really seem like it, but our superintendent has been in position now for less than 3 months. It hasn't even been 90 days. She haven't had her 90-day evaluation yet, and yet she's accomplished so very, very much. So, um, and I know, um, the community wants to see things happen fast, and, um, I want I I want quality over speed. And sometimes, um, it takes time to get the data, then develop a plan, then implement the plan. And I think we're in the we're still in the data
005gathering, um, portion of of her tenure. um not only with but not just a data gather but we're putting together I see several plans being initiated to bring about change to bring about improvement in our schools and our academics and and those type of things. So, um I'm just asking that, you know, we all understand that it's going to take some time to see the results um that we want to see, especially in our so scores in our, you know, in our school, even in our um CIP things that we've been dealing with in the finance and facilities committee. So just asking for some patience that we show some we want quality and we want results but we also need to show a level of patience to make sure we get where we want to
006get. Are we ready? >> We are getting there. Okay. So, Mr. Connor, so that we don't bel the the point because I know there's a lot that we have to cover tonight. Um, and I'm sure Austin and team can hear me. If you don't mind, the video can go during my comments later. Is that okay? I just don't want to hold anyone up. >> Next thing on our agenda is public comments. Um, in accordance with policy BDDH, public participation, members of the community are invited and encouraged to attend meetings of the Lynchburg City School Board to observe its deliberations. Any member of the community may address the board on matters related to the Lynchburg City Public Schools at any regular meeting. Persons or groups wishing to address the school board may do so by choosing
007one of the following. Leave a voice message on the school board clerk's line. Messages will be played during the public comment of the school board meeting. Address the board in person during the public meeting. Persons desiring to address the school board by VO voicemail message shall submit the voicemail to the school board clerk no later than 3:30 p.m. on the day of the board meeting. Persons desiring to adjust address the school board in person shall contact the clerk of the school board no later than 3:30 p.m. on the day of the board meeting or by signing the public comment form which shall be available to the public 15 minutes prior before the meeting starts. Each person requesting to speak shall identify the subject they want to address. And if the speaker represents a group, the
008speaker must identify the group. Persons appearing before the school board will not be allowed to campaign for public office or promote private business ventures and should not use profanity or vulgar language or gestures, make comments about a public official or an employee that are not related to the public official or employees official duties. engage in behavior that disrupts the meeting or intimidates others or address the school board on issues that do not concern the services, policies, role, and/or responsibilities of the school board. Individual speaker shall limit their comments to three minutes. A speaker representing a group shall limit their comments to five minutes. The representative shall identify the group at the beginning of their presentation. A group may have no more than one spokesperson. The total allotted time for public comments at school board meetings
009is 30 minutes. Voicemail messages to be played are also limited to three minutes for individuals and five minutes for speakers representing a group. Priority be will given to in-person comments before voicemail message in the following order. Students, staff, parents, guardians, community members. Public comments are reserved for the public to provide input. The board does not respond to comments, answer questions, or otherwise engage in discussion. At this time, the chair is responsible for orderly conduct of the meeting and rules on such matters as the appropriateness of the subject being presented and the length of time for such presentation. No one will be allowed to make additional presentations until everyone who wishes to speak has an opportunity to make an initial presentation. And tonight we have two speakers. We have Mr. Robert Flood who represents the group
010Rescuers of the Youth. And we have Miss Kelly Knap representing the YMCA. At this time, Mr. Flood, you can come to the podium. First of all, I'd like to thank y'all for letting me speak once again, uh, superintendent and school board members. uh two topics that I wanted to speak about. Uh I heard uh Mr. Collins say about just be patient about the uh scores uh that we've been talking about maybe 10 years or longer. And I understand you know sometime you have to be patient and make things work. But uh Mr. McCain been talking about this for 25 years. And I think that we need to try to figure out what the solution is because we already know what the problem is. Uh and the second thing is um I was on the football
011field at Linkorn Middle School uh last week. Uh they were playing Jefferson Force and I realized at every school I you know football was been part of my life you know uh sports and I realized that during the game that a kid got hurt and for some reason the middle school do not have a trainer and I don't know if y'all got money allocated to have a trainer. he would get the fire department to be over there for at least a couple hours because I think about last year when Buffalo played somebody and was a young man that was playing defense and he tackled somebody and almost lost his life. Through the grace of God, he made it through. These are young kids that they don't have no idea that all it takes is one
012hit and their life is over. and we don't have a trainer, but I think it's something that we can look into. If not a trainer, if we can get somebody just to be over there for a couple hours, not only Linkorn Middle School, any middle school that got a football team, because right now, if you don't have a trainer, just like the high school do, if somebody get hurt, although I'm certified in some different fields with CPR and a few other things, but we need somebody professional to know what to do if something happened, you know, seriously, because uh these kids, you know, you know, when you see them playing, they having fun. They enjoying the sales, but sometime hits, you look at it and you, you know, all it takes is one. And uh
013if y'all could just look at it and hopefully, you know, y'all can come come up with something that we can have somebody on that football field for maybe a couple hours. I think it's like eight hour quarters and it's over in and maybe an hour and a half. Uh just in case something happened and I appreciate it. Thank you. >> Thank you. Our next speaker is Miss Kelly Knap representing the YMCA. >> Good evening. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to the board today. My name is Kelly Knap and um I am the director of youth educational programs for the YMCA of Central Virginia. and the YMCA has had a very long-standing relationship and collaborative partnership with Lynchburg City Schools. Um, which is wonderful. Um, we've been hoping to continue to address the achievement
014gap. Um, some of you have had the opportunity to tour our Power Scholars Academy. Um, so that's what I want to speak to you about today because the impacts are profound. Um, we both share the common goal of addressing and attempting to mitigate opportunity gaps students are experiencing due to low academic performance and the lack of enrichment opportunities outside of school time. Current research does estimate that approximately 7 and a half million students come from underresourced communities and are performing significantly below grade level. These children need great schools. They need high quality opportunities outside of school to help them achieve their full potential. Research also established lowincome children are more likely to experience the loss of academic skills over the summer than their higher income peers, often due to lack of access to a structured
015program. These losses are cumulative and they can account for up to twothirds of the academic achievement gap that also will lend itself to these students may not reach graduation. This persistent performance disparity is a critical issue for educators and communities across the country and Lynchburg and the surrounding counties by no means are immune to this learning disparity. High quality out of schooltime opportunity is crucial in moving the academic achievement needle forward through Power Scholars Academy. This summer, students in grades K through five were provided with four weeks of full day academic and enrichment activi activities that focus on reading, math, social emotional learning, physical fitness, steam, science, technology, engineering, art, and math enrichment. Students are invited to attend through recommendations of their teachers and administrators and their recommendation is data-driven. It is based on below
016level reading and math performance. A curriculum that's aligned with both the Virginia SOS and the science of reading is curated for this program and it's designed to stem learning loss, motivate our struggling scholars and build foundational skills in literacy and math. It is delivered by certified teachers to ensure high quality learning is occurring in the classroom. Students do receive 90 minutes of literacy and math instruction. Small group instruction is provided daily and it is data driven using a pre-EST so that we can basically drill down to the core skills that these students need. Students are also provided with various enrichment activities in the afternoon that create a holistic approach to the program. Academic growth is measured through a pre and post test and additional feedback is provided by our families and by our students and
017our staff that are hired to perform surveys where we get a data impact report. This impact report is available to the community once the results are gathered. We monitor attendance daily um and we do follow up on calls to make sure there are no barriers preventing our students from attending the program. We also engage our families in a family event um at the end of the program. There is no cost for any child to attend. Um the partnership is the YMCA brings the program pieces of the academics. Lynchburg City Schools provides the buildings, staffing, transportation. So, it's a wonderful collaborative effort on all of our parts. I stand before you now excited to share the impact report um from the summer of 2025. 398 scholars attended the power scholars program at RS Payne and Heritage
018Elementary School sites. On average, they made academic gains of three plus months in 19 short days. Average daily attendance was 77% and 100% of our families felt valued as partners in their children's learning and they felt the program was welcoming and open. 91% of the students surveyed felt that the program increased their confidence and ability to learn. Students who participated having made academic gains in the summer return to the classroom this fall with new skills and newfound confidences. The YMCA would love the opportunity to continue working on the mission with Lynchber City Schools and to continue to address the achievement gap. It is this valuable partnership that provides the opportunity for students, educators, and families to see the importance of that holistic learning approach. With these continued efforts, we can collaboratively work together to decrease
019the achievement gap. I look forward to another year of power scholars next summer, and I do have the impact report to share with all the board members. Okay. May I ask you a question? So I invited you to academic success committee. Does that take place from this? I sent you an email. >> Yeah. Yes. But no, I also would like to meet. >> All right. All right. And my second question is, is there a limit number of students where it's a cut off? >> As far as the number that we can serve this year, the goal was to serve 500 and we enrolled a little over 400. So with like some of the um students who did not come for various reasons, we ended up serving 398. So the growth of the program is basically
020up to the funding sources. >> Okay. >> So we are happy to serve as many as we can. One year with Lynchburg City and Amherst County Public Schools, we served over 890 students. >> Wow. >> Um so it's open to growing. Um I think this is our ninth year with Lynchburg City Schools doing Power Scholars Academy. So, you know, we are more than happy to >> to let it keep growing. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Nat. >> Thank you. And who should I leave the reports with? >> Thank you again for your time. >> Next thing on our agenda is the consent agenda. Do I have a motion? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Mr. Baron? >> Yes. >> Mr. Alen? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Lori? >> Yes. >> Mr. Connor? >> Yes.
021>> Mr. Galileo? Yes, >> Dr. Farmer. >> Yes, >> Mr. Poe. >> Yes. >> Motion passes. >> The next thing on our agenda >> is our finance report. >> All right. Good evening, vice chair and chair for the night, Connor, members of the schoolboard, and Dr. Majette. You have before you the August the 31st, 2025 month financials. We are now on schedule to receive financial statements within 15 days of the month inend closing. So that's going to put us in a better position to make financial decisions uh more quickly in the future. Um as of August, which marks 16.67% of the year passing already, believe it or not, the percent of revenues collected versus original appropriation is at 7.8 um percent. Um the amount of expenditures versus uh original appropriation is 12.96% year-to date. Total
022expenditures inclusive of incumbrances um those uh items that we have promised to pay in the future is at 81.38%. So I have a few notable variances for you this month um in function 1320 media library services salaries and your variances are those items that are 100% or greater uh percentage-wise of spent funds. Um it the media library services has used 102.34% of its budgeted amount due to incumbrances associated with payroll. And I will say when this report was pulled um we had incumbrances for payroll but payroll had already hit. I tried to pull this report as close to the 15-day mark to get as many expenditures in. So your payroll is slightly overstated because that payroll is in incumbrances and has hit actual as well. So those incumbrances have been um marked off as of
023this point. uh function uh 2220 health services purchase services has used 224.49% of its budget due to incumbrances related to Medicaid service fees as the year as the months tick off in the fiscal year. these outstanding um elevated ratios will decrease in accordance with the time of timing of the year. Function 3200 vehicle operations services purchase services has used 100.89% of its budget due to incumbrances related to everdriven technologies. As you're aware, Everdriven Technologies is the company that we use to transport our our special students um to places that can't be on school buses. Um function 4200 building services uh purchase services has used 100.98% of its budget due to incumbrances associated with facility upgrades out at the schools. function 4600 security services salaries has used 182.7% of its budget due to incumbrances associated with
024campus safety salaries. So this line is reimbured through DCJS. So that number will drop in the future as grant reimbursement comes down to to to make that go away. Um function 4700 warehousing and district services salaries and employee benefits have has used 27 276.93 and 286.44 respectively. Um those are expenses associated with overtime for in facilities employees. However, those budget lines are really small. So any amount of money on that is going to have a ratio that's much larger. And that I I anticipate will uh balance out as the the months the ratio months um extend out. Function 6200 site improvement salaries and employees. Same with this um it has spent 280.32% and 527.5% of its budget due to expenses associated with construction management. This line is reimbursed um for by the city of Lynchburg
025for CIP items. So I anticipate these ratios will drop as well. Um statement of revenue. The total amount of revenues received year to date is 9,294,832 uh.33 um or 7.8 uh of C of allocations. Of that total, state revenues equated to 11.84%, federal equated to 16.43% and local, we are anticipating our allocation from the city any day. Miscellaneous um and charges for service collection rates are at 6.84 and 31 uh 55 respectively. So our charges for services is uh their ratio is is bringing in some some revenue. So just like last report um we are our our summary report of insurance we're we were waiting on the lag report from Anthem. Um we received that yesterday. So the beginning balance is a little high. we were waiting on that reporting in order to recalculate that
026uh get that to the auditors and recalculate the beginning balance. So, um that hasn't changed from the last report, but as of August, um LCS has received $56,88623 more in receipts than we paid out in dispersement. So, that's that's kind of the area we want to be. We don't want to be making too much money off of um the the withholdings, but we also want to make enough to pay for the um the the injuries or the illnesses that that are happening. So, that's all I have for my report this evening and I will entertain any questions that you have at this time. >> I have one. >> Okay. Yes, sir. >> You gave us the b the lines that were over. What's our bottom line? Um your so your bottom line >> 81.3 >>
027uh is with incumbrances. Yes sir. That's the 81%. Okay. >> Um and that includes contracts that includes we have to frontload all of our insurance payments and everything at the beginning of the year. So that ticks off as as the year um proceeds. So yes sir. >> Yes sir. Could you give us a little background on the um percentage that the city actually gives? Uh I know we're getting a lump sum, but how does that break down in terms of percentage? >> So um the percentages of of total revenues. >> Um that is the so that their allocation this year is 42 million and our total revenue allocation is 119 million and some change. So it it's about just real quick math maybe 35% of our our total revenues. Um so that's generally what we
028got we have and then we have uh we have our federal and our state funding lines and then our grant funding lines that offset expenses as well. >> Thank you. >> Yes sir. >> Okay. >> Thank you. Yes sir. Um, our next agenda item is special education advisory board committee listing. Ashley Burks. >> Hello. Good evening, school board. It's a pleasure to be able to speak uh to you for today. So, I am standing in front of you to just discuss the special education advisory committee. Um, so that is the form that you all have before you that list members of the committee that represent every school. Um, for the myself and my supervisors that are also listed on there, we're not official members. We just help facilitate whatever that they um need throughout the
029school year. So, their role is to advocate for students with disabilities, help um be able to create engaging events like we had a wonderful uh sped engagement family night uh last year. I know that this year we're looking at a uh trick trick or treat um for October. And so, they are able to bring in community members, agencies, um a transition uh fair that is coming up soon. And so it's really just a great way for our parents and our community members to be able to bridge together with uh Lynchburg City Schools special education department to be able to facilitate needs and advocate for our students and to have programs. They also do a really great job of within their own school buildings being able to communicate with the admin there on what does your
030school need to be able to best support students with disabilities. So those parents might say, "Hey, um, do I have the programs in which my child can be able to have read aloud?" Um, is the playground acceptable for my child with disabilities? And so being able to come together as a whole and be able to advocate to ensure that our students have what they need in order to be successful for the day. >> Are there any questions about >> SEAK? actions action and information. >> Miss Burks, do you is this just for information for for the board or is it >> Yes. So the the form that you have um before you all is the list of the members. It has to go before the school board. At the bottom of there is listed the
031dates in which they are meeting throughout the school year. So it has to be presented to you all per mandate of regulation. No, I'm asking do they need to vote on it or you just informing them of it? >> Um, typically that you guys that is whatever the school board does um in order to >> it is up for action. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Well, I don't see the list. That's what I'm >> It's Yeah. So, it it should be listed on there. >> Yes, sir. >> I'm just lazy. We have a motion to move to approve. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Are there any changes from last year? >> Uh yes. So, some of the staff members are some of the committee members that are on there are different. um it's a
032requirement that they rotate out um just because our population changes and the families um change and just make sure that we are moving forth with any regulations or or policies special education constantly changes. So those uh members change but in regards to how the CAC functions um that is particularly remains the same. It's their just their job to make sure that what can we do to kind of help support um our students? to make sure that they meet quarterly and just reviewing um any priorities and strategies that need to be looked at for the year um in regard to be able to support our students. So, no major changes, but they really help be able to facilitate our community members. Um a lot of times when you have students with disabilities, unless you are the
033parent of one or you're the teacher of of a child with disabilities, a lot of people are unaware um of the needs that go with that. And so that is really their job. They help us bridge that gap with the community and our school. >> Have there been any gaps in their services you've come across or are you fully satisfied with their services? >> Um I'm fully satisfied with their services. We're able to collaborate. Um and like I said, we um are able to collaborate with those events. The committee uh members that we have had in the past are really just fantastic. um they and they have a great listening ear and they really put forth a lot of energy into being sure that we are doing what that what we need for students and
034then asking the questions from that community perspective that for th those of us that are in the school may not think of. So um if there's any way that we're able to help and be able to see something from that parent perspective, it's really great. So there are mandates for the committee members. You can't come in and just specifically advocate for your child or discuss like an IEP issue or anything like that. It's just more overall of what can we do to help support Lynchburg City Schools and be able to support the students that uh we as staff serve. >> Thank you. >> Yes, you're welcome. >> I see you have one vacancy Darington. >> Yes. So the schools if there is a TBD on there um they are able to join later. Darington is
035is a much smaller school um and so therefore the sped population is lower there. So they're doing their best to try to reach out and find a parent that wants to be able to connect and join that committee because it does take um time to be able to uh join the meetings throughout the year and to be able to join those. So um those events. So, because there is a time commitment, we understand that when you're the parent and you have a child with disabilities and then be able to throw something else onto your plate can be a lot. Um, but we are working with that school to add another committee. >> Any other discussion? >> So, so the parent has to be from that school or is that could that be a shared commitment?
036Okay. Yes, they do have to be at that school and that's why we have a representation um at every school. >> We have a motion to approve. >> Motion >> second. >> Mr. Baron and Miss Lori. >> Okay. >> There are no other comments. Then we'll take the vote. >> Mr. Baron, >> yes. >> Mr. Alen, >> yes. >> Mrs. Lori, >> yes. >> Mr. Connor, >> yes. >> Mr. Jalo, >> yes. >> Dr. Farmer. >> Yes. >> Mr. Poe. >> Yes. >> Motion passes. >> Next thing on our agenda, which is an information item, is the LCS Education Foundation, Miss Don Wise. Dawn Wise, I mean Don. >> Good evening. >> Thank you so much for allowing me to have time to talk to you about all of the great things that the Lynchburg
037City Schools Education Foundation is doing. Um, we do have a really brief presentation and I'm also going to have uh Whitney Boyd join me midway so she can update you about a really exciting uh uh opportunity that we have to go ahead and adopt partners in education. So, we'll move forward with our presentation. Um, briefly, our mission is to advance excellence and equity in the Lynchburg City Schools through advocacy and educational funding. We have been in existence since 1985. So, we just celebrated our 40th year and our whole goal is to stand in the gap where Lynchburg City Schools budget, the public revenues um allows. So, we essentially when there's not a revenue line item that is allowed for in the Lynchburg City Schools budget, that's where we step in and hopefully be able to
038help out with that. Go to the next slide. Um and so on was I just mentioned that we can go to the next slide as well. Our loudest program is probably our classroom innovation grants. We just celebrated our 33rd year of awarding uh classroom grants to teachers. Teachers at Lynchburg City School or anyone who is curriculum facing can apply for grants up to $5,000 for things that are not in their budget for really innovative programs in their classroom. So um some examples last year is we had a drum line at uh RSpane which in uh encouraged uh student engagement. So um we award between 60 and $80,000 a year and they are all from um community sponsors like Bank of the James or BWX and they all sponsor these grants. You can have the next
039slide. Um, our next probably biggest program, especially this time of year, is our tools for schools warehouse. And that is also something that's been around for 25 years. And it is actually in a warehouse that is the facilities and maintenance warehouse off of John Kaepern Road. We have a tiny little spot that Lynchburg City Schools allows us to have there and we operate out of that. And we have lots and lots of school supplies that teachers can shop for at no cost. They get a certain amount of points per month that they can shop there and they can also use the um online ordering tool 24 hours a day. And our wonderful facilities and maintenance crew helps deliver those items. So we could not do that program without that group. Go to the next slide.
040Another thing that's really important that a lot of people don't know about that we do each year is our back to school supply project and that is for students. Each year right around March we end up coordinating with the counselors at every single school from Hutcherson all the way to the high schools and even the alternative schools and they let us know a certain amount of kids they think are going to need school supplies. So, our wonderful director of operations, Tracy Baker, coordinates with that. Again, the facilities and maintenance crew, helps deliver those, and they all get delivered in May. So, the counselors have those in the summer for kids and parents that need school supplies. And so, every kid that needs them will be able to start the school day, those next school year.
041Um, and we deliver about a thousand different, we identify about thousand kids, which is great. >> Okay. We also do a lot of great scholarships. Um, our biggest ones, we have a 15 and a $16,000 scholarship, 15,000 for our newly established computer science scholarship and then a 16,000 to 20,000 depending on how many sponsors we get of our excellence in science. It's a really unique flagship scholarships that other school divisions do not have that really help separate us from other school divisions. And then what we'll all be talking about soon um is our breakfast with a superintendent. It's a huge event. We have over 400 community members that attend. It's our big fundraiser. The Lynchburg City Schools Education Foundation is solely privately funded by donors and sponsors and grants that we receive. So that's a
042big event that we have and we usually have our wonderful superintendent that will have remarks and we'll coordinate with that very soon. We'll leave you alone for a little bit. Um, so the main reason I'm here tonight too, and we have lots of other great events, too. Uh, please visit our website. We have a new website. We used to be hosted on the Lynchburg City Schools site. We decided to, uh, kind of branch out our own, kind of distinguish ourselves. We still get a lot of support from the um, LCS communications department, but we have our own website now. It's lcsedfoundation.org. Pretty easy to remember. And our big exciting news is that we coordinated with the Lynchburg City Schools Administration over the past couple years and the Partners in Education Board of Directors, which is
043now an advisory board. And we decided we really wanted this amazing program that's been in existence for about 30 plus years that was a joint initiative between Lynchber City Schools and the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance, formerly the Chamber, that we wanted to make it as sustainable as possible. We were very worried, all of us, Lynchburg City Schools administration, previous superintendent, and we were worried about it being cut from the budget and it's an incredible program that we never wanted that to happen. So, we all collaborate and decided we would include it in our budget from now on and it will be uh adopted under the Lynchburg City Schools Education Foundation. And I will invite Whitney Boyd, thank you to talk a little bit more about that. Thank you. >> I'm rushing. >> All right. Well,
044good evening, uh, Dr. and school board. So, my name is Whitney Boyd. Um, I am the coordinator of family and community engagement for Lynburg City Schools. Um, and then I also double as a school counselor for virtual Virginia. Um, so oftentimes people ask what is partners in education? And that is a very loaded question. So, I'm going to go through this as quickly as I can. Um, so one of the biggest initiatives we have, um, and behind you, as you can see, so that's the new website or the new page that we have underneath the Lynchburg Education Foundation. Um, the bottom right hand corner of the teacher resources is new and that's something that I'm very excited about. And that kind of just captures many of the different components that is underneath the umbrella of
045what partners in education does. Um and so we oversee volunteers that want to come in and support the schools in various ways. Um of course you know that we have reading initiatives and all types of fun programs that the school levels will do for students and so getting supporting them with getting those types of incentives. Um event support. So that includes family engagement type of events, career fairs, all and you guys know how busy the schools get during the school year. So all the various events that they have. Um and then sponsorships. And so this could be in kind donations, it could be items of some of some sort, but we do have sponsors that actually give us monetary donations for various different things. Um, we also recently uh basic needs was something that when
046I came on board was a was a very big I don't want to say a void, but there there were gaps kind of when it came to meeting those needs at the school level. And so what we were able to do um and my supervisor um Austin has been super awesome with allowing us to adopt care portal um that actually comes through a partnership that we already have with an existing organization and essentially very short summary is Lynchburg City Schools is in this platform as requesters and then the community Lynchburg city as a whole are in the same platform as responders. So what happens is there's one person in every building including all ed sites um that can submit requests out. It gets approved and then that basically kicks it out to about 40 to
04750 different churches, community groups, anybody that you can name and if they're able to to fulfill that request, then the school itself is the drop off site. So we're not showing up to families family's houses. We're not pulling kids out of class. it's two adults, you know, having that communication, making that happen, and then the schools are able to get the things that they need. Um, we also with partnerships, so well, that's kind of what's on the on the website. So, you've got some that come in and want to do programmatic type of things. So, mentoring, tutoring, reading buddies, lunch buddies, and then we have some that are just strictly in a sponsorship capacity. Um, we do local events. So, of course, you guys, most of all of you were at our back to school
048in August. So, that's one of the big ones that we have. We have our own breakfast as well. We oversee volunteers and flyer distribution. And yeah, that was the exciting news. So, we were able to be adopted by the Ed Foundation. That was really for more of the sustainability component, as she said. And we didn't want this program to be based off an individual person or just who was in that role. we wanted to, you know, live on and do all the wonderful things. >> And I just want to quickly add, um, when I first came on in 2022, uh, the very first thing that we heard and I heard from Whitney, Whitney really has championed this, so she really should be applauded, was the emergence of hygiene poverty. And that's something you're going to
049hear a lot more about kids in our school who are coming to school without um, you know, basic undergarments. And we hear a lot about food with the hygiene poverty hair products. And I was like, you need hair products. And it just became this snowball effect. So we're also starting a hygiene poverty fund that falls under partners in education. So even though we're doing these great partnership connections that don't cost anything. The businesses come in, the nonprofits come in, they really make this happen without it being a monetary thing. We really want to address that and meet those needs as possible as quickly as possible. So we're we'll be talking more about that too. and that will fall under partners in education. So, and we're working with each of the schools to coordinate with that.
050So, any questions? >> I do I have two questions. Um, is this part of the Lunchberg um food truck too or is that something different? >> No, that's CTE. >> Okay. All right. And then my other thing was um I know I helped one summer with Parkview Mission to get those hygiene things out. Is that one of the partners doing it? >> Yep. Yep. Okay. >> Yeah. So yeah, that's one of the um and you can talk to that because I deleted that slide. So >> one of the cool things about the hygiene is it works in conjunction with the weekend food bags that the schools already get anyway. Um and so basically what we have done on the back end is I have many groups of people that help me do all of the
051things. And so our nurses basically will identify how many they need. There's different types of kits that they can get. And so basically what'll happen is say, "Hey, I need x amount of kits of this type. Well, it comes on the same day that the weekend food bags come. So, the students get the uh meals for the weekend and then the nurses in the buildings get the hygiene products that they need as well. >> And what we're trying to do is, you know, we coordinated with Parkview before we even started this. I had a great conversation with uh Todd Blake and those are hygiene items that are going home to the families with the kids. We are really trying to also not duplicate those efforts and addressing the kids that are coming to school without
052those items. So we immediately allow them the counselors or whoever they need to talk to can go and here go grab some deodorant or you know do you need a clean something or another or are you cold? So they don't have to wait until the weekend that having those working together to make sure all the days are covered is what we're really trying to do. So we definitely don't want to duplicate any efforts. >> Well appreciate everything you're doing both of you >> Julia. >> Great work with this care portal project. My question is for the warehouse. I would like to know is there a cap on the number of times a teacher can go to the warehouse in a month and can they get one arm full of supplies or two? >> Great, great
053question. So they get a 100 points a month and when you go to the warehouse there are different items that are sort of the more hot items I guess. So uh you know a glue stick might be you know one point or something like that. That's kind of a overkill, but um and so but then there are items that aren't as popular in demand that they can have as much as they want. We had a whole bunch of leather scraps that were donated and Kim Hansen went in there one day and she's like, "I want to take this whole box." We're like, "Take it. You can have as many as you want." So, it really depends on what the supply is. Uh some we wish we had a lot more. We're trying to get more
054school supplies. So, it really depends on that. Now, there are special requests we receive. So if the teacher gets 100 points a month, they spend it, they have to wait to come back. Um, and there are things they can have dozens and dozens of, it doesn't have points attached. There are special requests we get in where there was a um, science teacher who needed pencil pouches and his points were not going to cover that. It was the beginning of the year. We knew he needed it and we made the exception. So, it's kind of a case by case, but usually it's it's that and there is a gap. There's never enough school supplies for these teachers. Um they're not only they're really trying to you mitigate their out-of- pocket expenses. These teachers are spending $400
055to $600 on school supplies and that's a low estimate. So we're trying to make that zero as much as possible. >> Sounds like a line item for the care portal >> for school supplies. >> So care portal is a very specific type of request, but then again that where the sponsorship is was on the website. That's kind of will be another avenue where those kind of alternate requests can kind of come through and we can get those things as well. And I talk to community folks probably daily. So usually like, oh, we need X. I'm like, hey, so that there's multiple avenues for us to be able to support staff in that way. >> Interesting. I'm learning a lot, too. >> I just want to comment. I just have to say, you know, I'm excited
056about this partners in education being absorbed underneath ED Foundation. I'm >> more excited than I could have time to to explain right now, but I do want to bring attention to because a lot of times you have something like this happen and it's like, oh, we got together one time, shook hands, and it was a done deal. This has been in the works for a long >> almost two years. I mean, you guys have been working hard at this because you saw the value of a community that is resourceri, allocation poor, uh, existing. And so I I just can't thank you enough for the Ed Foundation for taking this on. And I just want to commend uh Miss Boyd for her tireless efforts to make sure this program continues. You guys have I was actually
057a partners and education liaison for a short time and worked with Miss Boyd at that time. >> I saw the work that she put in and she knew what this program meant to this community. And so I just want to I just want to say I I really appreciate and and thank you for all of your work. And we still want our liaison to be liaison for those because this work is so huge what they're doing. It's it needs its own voice and advocates on this school board. So we want to continue to educate >> and you're such a champion. This could not have happened without you. >> Yeah. >> I love you. >> Before you go before you >> I have one. >> Okay. Sorry. >> I'm just answering. Sorry. Are you in partnership
058with the junior league and their and our uh pad the project? >> Yep. >> I deleted that slide too because we go and pack those kits. >> Yes, ma'am. We are >> with information. She had all these slides ready to go when I deleted them. Yes, ma'am. We are. >> We are very appreciative for that program that we sponsor from the junior league. >> Yeah, they're a big help. So, we appreciate that. >> I will tell them at our meeting. >> Yes. I have uh I'm sorry. >> You go ahead. >> I just have a statement. Um you know, thanks for all you do. Um you know, looking over everything and it's it's great when the community can um or LCS can have an extension to help out with with the needs and all that.
059Um I do have a question that I've had a few parents reach out and ask about. um there are some parents that want to help their their students, but it's been a little bit since they've been in school. So, um they're they're looking for ways um that they can kind of brush up on some of their academic um material so they can, you know, be better at um parenting and be supportive of their students. Um are there any programs um that you know of that I could pass along to um parents? >> Sure. So one of the other parts of my job so the family engagement half um goes through title one and I know title one is very heavy on the instructional component when they have their title one nights, literacy nights, steam nights.
060Um, and any of my uh instructor people in the building, please correct me if I go too far left, but during those events, more times than not, parents are actually sent home with specific strategies and things that can help them bridge that gap with their student because I I mean, letters and numbers have changed since I was in school. I didn't think that was possible. So, I understand um you don't understand it, neither do I. So, but that's what Title One is for. It's a okay educational component. >> How often is title one happen? >> Uh, every month. >> Every month. >> Well, so our elementary schools primarily because those are ones that fall under Title One, so they do theirs every month. But I do know our middle schools and high schools do family
061engagement events as well. >> And where where where does this meeting place happen? >> Um, I believe that's posted on the school's count like the individual schools calendar website. So, I don't know what days they fall, but I know they happen monthly, >> but they just need to search Title One and go from there. >> Okay. >> Or just reach out to their specific school and they would tell them, "Hey, our next literacy night is," and that will have all that information for them. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. >> Yeah. You're welcome. >> Anybody else? >> Yeah. I was wondering, you know, these programs that you guys have present are so wonderful, but I'm thinking, what if you guys were not there to help facilitate? Could somebody kind of help me here? What would
062be the Would that be a void in the system? >> Be a void. It' be a >> big void in the system. >> Wow. So, it's >> great work. >> We continue to say and I'm I don't mean to keep putting things on you. I just she you have such a champion at with this person. Um our both of our boards, we have a PI board and an LCS board education foundation board and we sit there when we talked about this for two years and like what happens if Whitney's not there? Um because Whitney really is a champion and there were champions before and then you don't have a champion because they don't believe in it. Um so it is a void and that's why we wanted to make it sustainable because it shouldn't just
063stand on one person's shoulders. It should be a sustainable effort that had when somebody leaves don't leave um if somebody walks away that the infrastructure is there. Um but it's still we still need to put that infrastructure in place which is why we're really trying to make that happen. Yeah. >> But yeah, it's a great question and we're very aware of it. So, >> okay, before you walk away from the podium, on behalf of Dr. Gupta, >> um, board chair in his absence and myself and I believe I speak for the entire board, >> hats off to what you're doing and we really appreciate what you do. >> Thank you. >> We're best friends. Thank you so much. Appreciate you guys. Okay, our next agenda item is a um action item policy workg groupoup and
064I believe most of these policies are updated by the >> VOE code and so >> codes yeah >> policy work group >> um so actually you'll see there where it's at um saying for action it's information tonight for your first read. We want you to take your time, go through it. If you have any questions about any of these policies, all of these have gone through um well, the majority of these have gone through the policy workg groups. In some cases, if the work group did not meet, then the staff did go through and um update all of those policies. But you have this opportunity over the next month to read these. It'll be for action next month. But please read through. You'll see the comments on the side discussion notes. If you have any
065questions, please um ask me and we'll we'll connect you to the various staff members who worked on those policies with the committees. >> So question. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Um when we click on them, will it show what's lined out or what was changed and things like that? >> Yes. >> Okay. All right. Cool. >> So if you click on that first one, for example, you'll see where it's highlighted for chief operations officer. It's um let's see which policy was it? It was EB, school crisis emergency management and medical emergency response plan. And you'll see there where there's a striketh through for deputy superintendent of operations and strategic planning because we no longer have that position, but you'll see chief operations officer. So you'll see the highlights and strikethroughs throughout the documents of any changes.
066Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. I do have one myself on the U JFCM >> says insert the will we see the actual says insert divisions restrictions for elementary here insert the >> yes so we'll we'll get all of that information to you >> so we'll so we'll be able to look at this policy and see what each individual >> Yesble and got. >> Yes, >> that was the only one I had a question. >> Okay. So, yes, that work group will go back and and fix that and then send an email back out to you all. >> Work to do school board work to do. >> Oh, yeah. Always. >> Um, school board member reports governor school, Miss Lowry. >> Okie do. Um in we are in the process of hiring a new director that can
067also teach a class for budget reasons for 26 2026 and on. Um Steve Smith will be um retiring after this year. So um yeah, that's all we have for now. Right now we're um it's just different meetings and stuff. Hopefully by November, early November we'll have an answer. um or regional school representative, Miss Lowry. >> Okay. The paper I passed out to you. It was from our last regional meeting. It was a pamphlet, but I at home I just printed off two sheets. So, anyways, um the financial report reveals a good standing, but still waiting on auditors. Correct. >> But so, and we're almost complete. >> Yep. And so, Miss Jame did a nice job on that. There are 44 students um there combined from Amherst, Mathematics, Bedford, Campbell, and Lynchberg. The theme is every
068step counts. Uh they filled two visual impaired teaching positions this year which we needed last year but we didn't get. So that was filled. We still need two more special education teachers. And Mrs. Ashley Burks um present covered the house bills that came down that affect the sped students and and that we're meeting them. So she did a very nice job. Thank you for that Miss Burks. Um and I think that's have all I have on Laurel. [Applause] Okay. Accelerate STEM Academy, Mr. Poe. >> Yeah. So, uh, pretty much the STEM Academy is is off to a a good start. Um, pretty much has not changed since the last report. Um uh for those that you know may be interested in um possibly um you know the application process um basically there's a timeline for
069it. Um school promotions um STEM Academy application um is due by March 1st of each year. Um uh all applicants are are read and evaluated using the application rub rubic uh by the STEM academy director and the school division. Um let's see here. Sorry, my uh let me bring it up on my other computer. This one is not working as it should. Um bear with me a second. All right. um they're notified and offered admission. Um there could be a waiting list or they could be denied by the fourth week in March. Um this u information is also shared with uh school counselors and so forth. and we will meet again in October and I will let everybody know what else is going on with the STEM Academy. >> Oh, great. Thank you. >> Yep.
070>> Um, Mr. Depal is on vacation, so we're going to skip to legislative advocacy and community relations. Mr. Jalil, >> we have had our last meeting and designated a number of tasks considering whether or not we're going to do a breakfast and follow up with bills and we'll present anything to the board that comes up. Our next meeting is the next month. >> Thank you. Academic success, Miss Lowry. >> Okay. Our next meeting is next week. Um, Kelly Nap, who presented tonight, will also be coming and and sharing those education programs with the um, academic success committee tomorrow at EC Glass Legacy with Mr. Dr. Dutton will be presenting to the whole body assembly um what they offer in the workforce for students with our CTE and I just say I want to say with
071our CTE beacon of hope and all working together with the students as the focus and their success after school is over is so beautiful because not one entity can do all of it. So I'm thankful for all three of them, you know, having these avenues for kids to come together. Um, and it just benefits them as they are leaving school to because as schoolboard members, I feel like our responsibility is to help these children be viable citizens of the the city they're going to live in. So, um, so yeah, that the we will be meeting tomorrow. >> Can we ask for a quick update on the other committee? The um >> that's at the bottom. >> Okay. >> Isn't that at the bottom? >> Yes. Okay. Um, partners in education, which we just had a
072big uh, review. So, Dr. Mr. Eileen or Dr. Farmer, we are so proud of this act of love and support from one of our own departments, Don and Whitney, who stole my thunder. The social media asked for uniforms and supplies for Marvin Bass transfer students because the school did not have them to give. The situation was taken care by one of our awesome programs tools for school and classroom. For those who do not know, they can order online or come in person. They're located at 3525 John Karen Road. the LCS maintenance facility. They have a twominut video to view the warehouse board members talking to Tracy Baker and Don the director of operation. She invited us the board members to come out for a tour. The uniforms and supplies were furnished by tools for school
073from a contribution from a former citizen and product of Lynchburg City Schools. Talking to the principal, Monica Hendris, and toured the rooms myself with these two eyes, >> the supplies and uniforms were outstanding. The solution was taken care of by a LCS program in place. Whitney and Don and let me don't I won't leave nobody out now. Tracy Bon, they did an awesome job. Awesome. And see, that's why you have to be kind of careful when you go out there and look on that social media because everything out there is not accurate. But I do my research. That's why I get in so much trouble. >> Thank you, Dr. Farmer. >> And we got more, but we going to go the right steps with the protocol. We get parents, we get grandparents, we get community
074leaders, but Reverend Eileen and I, we going to take it through the right channels. >> All right. >> Okay. But we'll keep you informed. Hey, I got you again for the Ed Foundation or is that included in that report you just gave? >> That's included. >> Okay. >> Beacon of Hope, Mr. Baron or Mr. Pope? >> Yeah, I'll let you. All right, I'll recap. >> All right. What isn't Beacon of Hope doing? I was out at the Miller Park uh day in the park this Saturday. We're there representing. Uh they seem to be everywhere. U but here's some specific things that I'm excited to share with you. of course, SAT, ACT season. My son just took the SAT test on Saturday. They're doing SAT prep. They have over 200 students enrolled at Heritage and EC
075Glass already in this program to help them boost their college readiness and confidence uh and expand their college options. Um also doing campus visits, so taking students to see uh Randolph College and the University of Lynchburg this month. Um, of course, this gives them hands-on exposure to college campuses and uh, again, available at both high schools. Um, this one I'm really excited about. They have, we'll call it future Fridays, so I'm consistent with what she sent me at EC Glass. And in partnership with Central Health, we are giving students a firsthand look at how classroom learning connects to real world careers. This is fantastic. These sessions create valuable exposure to career opportunities and pathways helping students see the link between their academic subjects and the local employers. We will have a new partner each month.
076So, I think that's an incredible program and I'm really glad that they're doing that. Um, of course, the stay close scholarship. Um, some some numbers to to throw at you. They have 604 LCS graduates enrolled in college this fall. And listen to this. 76% are enrolled locally. That's huge. Uh through these programs, students have access to not only critical financial support, but also to the wraparound services provided by our office of college and career success. Throughout the year, our team will connect students with academic resources, career coaching, and internship opportunities. Um and then finally, I just wrap it up with Promise Pals. They have 46 scholars serving as promise pals to heritage and Parammont elementary schools. In this role, they serve as pen pals to a designated classroom throughout the year. And the goal here
077is to give elementary students the chance to connect with LCS alumni who once sat in their same seat and to inspire them to begin dreaming about their own futures. >> So nice. >> Like I said, doing a lot. It's very exciting. I'm very proud of this organization. >> Anything to add, Mr. Pope? Uh um Nelson, I think you covered pretty much all of it, but um as some of us uh I just wanted to highlight the uh corporate breakfast that they had. Um >> Oh, yes. >> where we got to hear um a very powerful story um from one of the um uh students that, you know, went through Beacon of Beacon of Hope. And so for any community parents um out there, I definitely advise you to visit their website and see if any
078of the programs that they have to offer is something that um can help your your your child. Um they've really got a lot of good things going on. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Y Okay, looks like I'm on the agenda. >> Student discipline committee report. Um I don't get the exciting to talk about um well one thing we do have some improvement um for up through um the 10th of September we are 7% lower in total referrals than last year. 35 total for all the schools. Um this time last year we had 507 total referrals and this time this year we only had 472. So we're showing some improvement in the reduction of inferrals and um the big thing was that I was I'm happy with is last year the number one referral was possession
079or use of portable communication device and violation of school policy. We had 76. This year we had 34. So a huge increase in in the reduction of um >> the use of cell phone use. So um we look forward to next month to see continue to see if we keep a 7% decrease. I think we'll have a pretty good year in improving discipline overall. And then finally the ad hoc achievement gap committee. >> Okay. So we are extending through October to tackle one subject area at a time to focus on um and to bring to the board a few areas. Um we got off task and off track of what we were supposed to be focusing on answer different kind of things. So we've decided to focus on one subject area at a time. We
080as a group will work on it of those who can attend um now that we've extended it. Um and also um we'll be thinking what will benefit the student success. So there will be a report at the end of October for the board >> that point superintendent. >> All right. Well, good evening again. I'm going to make a few remarks and then the video will play after I'm done. It will play. Um so again, good evening school board members, um community. I know we have a lot that watch online, so I wanted to throw this out here. I want to begin tonight by sharing the exciting announcement. Into it in partnership with Lynchber Beacon of Hope, we've heard about them earlier, is donating a fully operational food truck to our school division. Um, it got
081here today, so a few people had a sneak peek. Uh, this program will give our CTE students real world experience in culinary arts, business, entrepreneurship, and much more. Um, under the direction of Mr. Robbie Douly. The food truck will make his debut during a special tailgate celebration before the Jug Bowl on Friday, this Friday, September 19th at 1 p.m. at the Lynburg City Stadium. I know some of you have RSVPd. If others can attend, that would be fantastic. Our students will unveil the truck, student design branding, and guests will be able to tour the truck as they arrive. Um, then I invite you to come back around Friday night uh for Jug Bowl. Our game time is 700 p.m. You'll see EC Glass and Heritage face off to determine a citywide champion. So, that should
082be exciting. And I want to um thank you for your comments earlier. I had prepared my comments and we hadn't had we didn't even communicate about this, but uh just thinking as I as I navigate this and and learn and grow, I just had a few thoughts. So, we are in a season of growth and change uh as a school division. growth in the areas where it's necessary and then enhancement of all those things that are already good, right, for our school. So, I am thankful again for the opportunity to serve and learn and grow alongside my team. Um, this faculty and staff, I I'm telling you, this crew in here is a hardworking crew. I they truly inspire me each and every day. Um, I also appreciate our community partners, um, like LCS Found,
083Ed Foundation, um, Beacon of Hope, and many, many others who continue to pour into and support our students, faculty, and staff. Um, like you said, Mr. Alen, what would happen if we didn't have them? We desperately need them, and I'm thankful that they're able to fill in that gap for us. But I will say this as we continue towards our vision of the tradition of excellence. I want us to I want to challenge and present a challenge and encourage all of us to focus on um the process the process our systems how we do the work our progress and what we want our outcomes to be. Where do we want our students to be? What are the outcomes that we're striving for? while input and effort they're important but the main thing is what is
084the work that we're doing to get to the outcome where we want to go because I can speak into something but my work is what's going to help us move us to that finish line of where we want our students to be >> so I just say with that focus in mind um as always I appreciate the feedback of the board um good bad and indifferent it helps me grow it helps me grow But with that continued support from our staff, the board, our community partners, I'm confident that we'll continue to move forward. This team has accomplished a lot in a very short window of time. They will tell you um I always tell them my questions have questions. we continue to grow and stretch uh together because we want to make sure that we
085are providing the ultimate level of support to schools so that principles and teachers can do their jobs to better support kids because they're there on the front lines, but our job is to support. So, it's always interesting to me when I have staff that say, "Well, I report to you." I get it when you think about an ORC chart, but I still look at it, my job is to serve at the pleasure of the board within policy and law. I always say that, but my job really is to to provide leadership and to serve the falcony and staff so that they can do what they need to do to serve kids. So, I just wanted to put that out there. Those are just my comments tonight. We didn't talk, but but but thank you for
086your comments earlier and that's it for me. >> All right. Um board comments. I'm gonna start on this side with Mr. Pope, Dr. Farmer, Jazil. We'll work around. Uh just um I I will piggy back off with uh what Dr. uh Mette had to say. Um I I I really think um you know I just want to recognize the hard work that um LCS um administration and um the staff um has you know really rolled up their sleeves um you know growing up and and being um homegrown right here in Lynchburg. I know there have been some you know some worries and some troublesome u mannerisms and thoughts um but um you know I think um it's headed in the right direction um and I appreciate everybody's hard work um you know even you know
087on the board and the late nights um and the disciplinary committee and um and I'm sure all the other committees and you know I appreciate the um um information and you know Um this this position is one of those you you got to kind of jump right into it. There's really no um no training um besides your you know whatever you've learned before you gotten into this position. Um but you got to kind of learn on the job is from a board member perspective. And um you know, I'm happy to be here, happy to help. And um I just want to u let it be known that I'm willing to continue to learn and uh keep asking questions and I'm looking forward to what the rest of the year will bring. >> Dr. Palmer. >>
088Oh me, my time. I'm thankful for the challenges cuz challenges make you stronger. and I love each and every one of you and there's nothing you can do about it. We got a lot of work to do. It's not going to be accomplished overnight. That's what I tell the people that's bringing me all these concerns and then I put it back on them. >> What is your solution? And half of them they don't they wasn't expecting that. But like I tell my partner, he's my partner whether he know it or not. We are a team >> and we're not going to always agree, but we can just agree in love. >> And we can move forward through communication, protocol, respect, but most of all, trust. And we got to bring back the trust. That's all
089I got to say. and I'm sticking to it. >> All right. >> Very nice. >> Uh board members, commendations go to all LCS who has honored 911. It's very important to remember every single year. Never forget. Uh the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services is holding a 2025 threat assessment regional forum here in Lynchburg on October 21st and 22nd at the Liberty Mountain Conference Center, building safer communities behavioral threat assessment in K through 12, higher education and beyond. So it includes all of us and they are asking a number of different u types of community members to come and we're included in that. So if you'd like to go, feel free to attend. Secondly, it is suicide awareness month according to the substance abuse and mental health services administration. So I wanted to bring that
090up and make sure that we are attentive to this subject especially this month. Uh further remember that one of our teachers warned us about testing over abundance. We don't want to forget that this is an issue that has come up. Uh just today, a teacher, I mean a a community member reminded us that or informed us that on-site professional trainers for middle school football games would be very important. So, let's remember that it's Constitution week and tomorrow is Constitution Day. I hope our teachers make much ad do about our beloved founding documents. I would like the board to consider the issue soon about adding disclaimers to the Constitution and Declaration of Independence documents. Specifically, uh this action seems to be offending more and more civic-minded adults who ask me why every year it's required. And
091now a military veterans group has caught wind of it and expects to hear back whether the board supports the disclaiming of these particular documents. Not everything that is in Lynchburg City Schools, just these documents. And finally, not every speech controversy is the same. There are matters of policy debate that we mentioned here today because we have a policy for it and there are matters for or against public opinions. But the celebration of deaths whether in the news locally or nationally is something that is different than falls under the free speech allowances. It's not arguing a policy or stance. It's not debating an idea. But glorifying death like Hamas is something that is atrocious. Should not be acceptable in any vocation or organization. The subject of liberty, taxation, the rule of law are all issues you
092can debate about for or against. Ideas which have been battled for a long time. It's speech going back and forth in pursuit of truth. But being glad that Charlie Kirk was assassinated is beyond the pale. There is a saying that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. That's a description of character. So when you have that as something you promote, share, distribute on purpose, it reveals a character that loses public trust. It loses trust from the general public and also people around you. So it should be pointed out and if it's the case it should not be forgotten and I have no recommendations as to any outcomes of that except that it should be known and if it's known then the public can at least make an upformed opinion about it. If
093it's hidden it's not good. We must have accountability for the mocking of life itself because we don't want to cover the things that are important to the local to LCS and the community around it. And we don't want to act like we allow the same things that cults and nations who hate other nations do and act like. So we want to make sure we raise children of a certain type. And that's not it. We want good citizens. We want them to thrive in communities, not partisans. Liberty without virtue will lead to our self-destruction. So, let's not allow this type of celebration to go unchecked or unmentioned. It's not a crime, but it's not acceptable to parents or society at large, and it's absolutely unacceptable to celebrate people's death. >> Thank you, Mr. >> Um I
094have been visiting schools and enjoying all the conversations. I'm honoring because our chair, so everybody knows, our chair told us to visit all the schools. So, um, first two weeks of every month, I'll see every school. And so, you'll see me nine times, but, um, I'm enjoying the conversations. I'm seeing students hard at work, the cafeteria, sta, um, staff prepping for lunches, custodians, keeping things clean, secretaries, TAs, behavior specialists, librarians, and so many others just doing a great job for the students. So, um um I have worked out a visitation plan like I just said, but I just really want to be an encouragement and a smile to them. And I know that many principles have told me they love your principal meetings that it is they're so encouraging and they've just loved it as
095long as as well as our city council who also enjoyed. So, so yeah, it was very nice. >> Yeah. Today as I sit, you know, and listen to all the solid programs that we have in the city, uh, it shows that we have a solid infrastructure that is able now to be in place. And as I look at it, I see the next journey now is to empower the superintendent so that she and her team can do their job to get us to where we need to go. Mhm. >> And I'm a little concerned because, you know, as I sometimes I look at the emails and all that stuff and there's so much stuff that is coming through to her and a lot of non essential issues that she's probably having to grapple with >>
096and to deal with it. And I I just don't want her to get sort of knocked off track and and just sort of lose focus with all these, you know, rabbit trails that sometimes are coming up. So, I'm just going to encourage the board along with myself. You know, again, we got a good infrastructure with the programs and the partnerships and so on. Let's see if we can support her, empower her, and get her to the next level where the kids are going to get the benefits of all that we're trying to do. Because if if we don't reach that level where the kids are benefiting, then we're just to me wasting a whole lot of time. So I I'm for what we're doing here in terms of the programs, but I want to get
097us to the level where we can empower the superintendent and her team to be able to get this job done. >> So that's my comments. >> Thank you, Mr. Alen. Mr. Baron, >> well, I'm still very much I'm learning a lot. I came into this with the intent to listen and learn as I know you you came in with the same sentiments and I've appreciated that. Uh but there were three areas that I just I set I felt that were specifically uh part of why I'm here and what I want to help cultivate and that's trust, transition, and transportation. So I just want to speak to those very quickly and I'll start with transition because Dr. Mette already talked about this and I just want to echo her sentiments that man transition is just a
098different movement. You move different when you're in transition and that's transition with different leadership in place on the school board, different people in leadership uh at the you know from the top down. um you just move different. It takes patience, but it also takes making quick decisions uh and and being able to turn on a dime. And so I just want to recognize that we're in that space of transition. And uh there's a lot of grace needed, but I'm also really proud of the progress that we're making as we go. Um the second is just that that trust. When I first uh started talking to community members about, you know, perceptions of LCS over the last two years ago that I started talking and asking these questions, trust was one that was on a ton
099of list. There's just gaps. Let's just acknowledge that, right? That's not we can't do anything about it. We if we ignore it, it doesn't go away, right? So, we're just going to acknowledge that and say, "Hey, we got some gaps in trust uh across the board." And um I I want to help create a culture where we uh a culture I just call it a culture of truth and trust. So one, we're always going to seek and speak truth no matter what. And two, we're going to default trust. This is not normal. This is not a typical way for people to act. Normally we we say trust has to be earned. But I'm telling you, something changes in a culture when you default assign somebody trust. What if we believe the best about our leadership?
100What if we believe the best about our teachers? What if we believe the best about our parents, the best about our students? That does something to a culture. And I'm telling you, that is the kind of framework that we need and we want to be able to build uh and do the things that we're talking about achieving. Uh and so then the last I just want to speak to transportation. I'm going to bring transportation till I get an audible groan from everybody every time I say something about. Okay? Because here's the reality. I really believe transportation solutions are achievement gap solutions. and more than you realize, more than most people realize. We're talking about addressing truency. You're talking about uh these are the people that have the first contact with students during the day and
101last contact when you send them home. I mean, you talk about being able to build trust and rapport and and and when we don't have adequate personnel to to transport these students, there's mistrust that you talk about trust, right? There's trust gaps that develop. It's just creates a huge uh uh barrier um that's unnecessary because really truly the solution is we need drivers. And so I just want anybody's listening, anybody who is willing to go out there and put this on blast. We need drivers. And I'm I'm looking at every HR report seems like we're losing drivers. Another one on this HR report we talked about today. Uh we're losing drivers. We need more. And so I'm I've had this conversation with many people. I'm I'll put it in public. Uh, I think there's two
102groups of people that really can do something about this. And I I want to call out church staff and entrepreneurs. You have some flexible schedule. You make your own schedule. Get up early and drive a bus. You have no idea. It doesn't have to be every day. You can give them three days a week. They'll take it and just go and drive a bus. Um, it can make a huge difference. And we're talking about right now our transportation department, every single person in the office, every mechanic is driving a bus. So, they're doing double duty. uh any given day you go by there there there's there's one person in the office on dispatch and everybody else is driving a bus guys there's too many people in this town that have a ability to do something
103about this for for me to not say something. So I'm going to continue to say that beat that drum till we have too many bus drivers. Okay. Um that's my goal. So thank you all very much for just giving me the opportunity to speak to that. Yeah. >> Thank you. Um, before we go into our next agenda item, do can we It's turned off now. >> No, I think it's still okay. >> It's ready. >> Okay. We'd like to I'm so excited to watch this video. >> We're going to watch this video. When I was ready, it wasn't ready. when I was ready [Music] mountainsty [Music] [Applause] shed his grace on and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea. [Applause] >> Thank you. >> It was a great It's a great to
104remember. Not a great thing that happened, but it's great to remember. you know, famous quote was, "If we don't remember the past, we're doomed to repeat it." I might not I might be paraphrasing it, but it's pretty close. So, we need to remember that was I think everybody that in this room remembers exactly what they were doing >> um that morning. And you know, >> I just want to thank God for the heroes >> that went up the stairs when everybody else was coming down. for a, you know, great thing. So, um, we're, our next agenda item is closed session. Um, the board chair recommends that the school board approve a motion to convene a closed meeting to discuss the following as permitted by the Virginia code 2.2 A1. The discussion of assignment, appointment, promotion,
105performance, demotion, salary, discipline, or resignation of personnel. I have a motion. >> Motion. >> Second clerk. Madame clerk. >> Mr. Baron. >> Yes. >> Mr. Ali. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Lori. >> Yes. >> Mr. Connor. >> Yes. >> Mr. Galileo. >> Yes. >> Dr. Farmer. >> Yes. >> Mr. Poe. >> C. Motion carries. We're in we'll be in 206 and then we'll be back to come out of close session. [Music] What do you do?